When I'm choosing a read aloud for pre-k, I look for three things:
1. High Engagement
2. Not too many words
3. Opportunities to stop and talk
Here are 10 picture books I feel fit those criteria for our four + under friends!
1. Heads and Tails by John Canty
This guessing book gives a few clues and a simple watercolor of the back half of an animal on one page, revealing the answer and a more detailed painting of the rest of the animal on the next. Kids will love guessing based off the clues and what they see. They'll recognize some of their favorite animals and see some new ones, too--and they're guaranteed to want to turn the page.
2. They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel
Creative illustrations show what different animals see when they look at the same cat. Think how different a flea's view is from a fish's or a human's! Great for teaching perspective and seeing things from another's point of view.
3. Ducks Away! by Mem Fox And Judy Horacek
This is an adorable book about a mama duck crossing a bridge with her five little ducklings--but then one duck gets blown away by the wind and lands in the river! Count the ducks as they cross the bridge, join their sibling in the river, and finally reunite. Not only are the illustrations cute and simple, Fox and Horacek's book is perfect for basic counting and very basic addition and subtraction practice. My pre-k'ers loved shouting DUCKS AWAY! while we read this, too.
4. A Parade of Elephants by Kevin Henkes
This story has the sweetest illustrations. Count the elephants and practice directions with them as they march back and forth, to and fro, morning to night. The soft colors and lovely ending make for a perfect bedtime read.
5. Press Here by Hervé Tullet
What child doesn't love an interactive book? They get to press, shake, clap, and more to make things happen to the dots on the page. Extra fun if you have the big book version.
6. Beautiful Oops by Barney Salzberg
All about creativity, and the joys of making mistakes, Beautiful Oops lends itself to talking about trying new things, making mistakes, and not giving up. It's also a jumping off point for about ten different craft projects.
7. The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett and Gary Rubinstein
My pre-k class loved talking about the story of Beatrice Bottomwell, who has never, ever made a mistake. But one day she does make one--in front of EVERYONE! What will she do? Can she move on? Is a mistake the end?
8. Not a Box by Antoinette Portis
A rabbit is playing with box, but it's NOT a box. It's a race car, a burning building, a rocketship--whatever she wants it to be! All about the power of imagination and a reminder to see the potential in the mundane. Keep a few boxes on hand to let the kids play after.
9. Hey, Water! by Antoinette Portis
A little girl starts looking for water in all its forms, making this story an excellent way to introduce the water cycle and scientific process to very young readers. Portis' illustrations feature bright brushstrokes and will help students recognize new things in their world.
10. Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years by Stacy McAnulty and David Litchfield
Another one for the science lovers, or anyone wanting to know how the world works (which is just about every kid, right?). The drawings are adorable, but every planet and other object featured are recognizable and accurate. The book also shows the planets' sizes in comparison to each other, their distance from the sun, and how they move. Students will be able to learn a lot about the universe by looking at the pictures, and the simple text is also fabulous.
These are ten of my favorites--what would you add?
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